Justin Bieber a social media case study for the bean counters

Dear Bean Counters: If you’re still wondering if social media can really sell anything, take a look at Justin Bieber – a self-taught musical star created by YouTube videos, a determined mom, a Beatle-esque haircut, and a whole heaping bunch of talent.
All of 15, still in the throes of adolescence, he’s an Internet-created pop superstar whose mother launched his career with YouTube videos made for his family and friends.
Signed to a record label by an agent who found him on YouTube, his first single, “One Time” hit Number 20 on the Billboard 100 months before the CD was officially released. To date, it’s had 38,936,287 views on YouTube.
He’s performed at the White House for President Obama, Mrs O and the girls, performed with Taylor Swift, and been booked to appear on Saturday Night Live. His website features his “fan pack” – replete with autographed and personalized 5 x 7 photo.What does this kind of success mean to corporations? To social media gurus? To bean counters?
It means fresh and new trumps cautious and staid. Original beats safe, and audience preferences and interaction mean more than carefully scripted performances.
In other words, when it comes to success, it’s not the words that matter. It’s the drive, the talent, and the timing. The more things change, the more they stay the same. The medium changes, but not the results.

Comments

I point to stories like this anytime I hear someone say “let’s make a viral [insert media type]”. Somethings happen without anyone trying to make them happen. Other things happen because someone(s) tried their hardest to make them happen. But in both of those cases, the “thing” was remarkable and worthy of someone else spending their own precious time with it.
We sometimes forget that as marketers. There are many things to take up people’s time. Justin is one such example. Can a marketing message compete? Should it even try?